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KING APPOINTS 18 CHIEFS

They first went to Ludzidzini Royal Residence where they were introduced before Her Majesty the Indlovukazi. Hhohho and Lubombo regions had five each while Manzini and Shiselweni had four each.

His Majesty described chiefs as the eyes of the King in the communities as they help maintain peace and stability of a country.
The King said being a chief was a huge responsibility, and asked them to respect themselves first before they seek the respect of others.

“I would like to praise the acting chiefs, who have been looking after the people for a long time,” he said.
“Young chiefs should seek advice from the elders so that they can lead the people to the right direction. People are expecting a lot from you, and development is one of those things that people want.”

He said chiefs should work closely with their inner councils (bobandlancane) who are there to advise and support them. He said they should not distance themselves from the King.
He said working with the king included kuhlehla, knowing the Swazi culture and other related issues.

To those who objected to some of yesterday’s appointments, the King said it was too late as he had given them his blessings, there was no turning back.
He said the chiefs would be given letters of their appointments tomorrow to avoid disputes back in their areas.

“I know that there are those who are for and against, but I have blessed the chiefs, there is no turning back. We hope that you will grow old in your positions. we pray that sicknesses do not attack you,” he said.

Her Majesty the Indlovukazi warned the newly installed chiefs to stay away from alcohol as it would kill them, noting that most of the chiefs who had been blessed by His Majesty King Mswati III were dead because of alcohol.

hooked

She said the people were the very ones who got the chiefs hooked on alcohol because when they want things such as land they offer such.
“Chiefs should work with the inner council to avoid falling into this temptation because people come with alcohol.
“some chiefs give away land because they had been given alcohol. They should not work in isolation,” she said.

Prince Phinda says a lot of chiefs were drunkards and did not respect their status.
“A lot of chiefs are dying because of alcohol and the country will go nowhere as the chiefs who are entrusted with it are drunkards. How will the king work with people who are so fond of alcohol? Kuyamangalisa utsi ufuna sikhulu bakulayele lapho kuphephetela khona indwvangu lemhlophe (It’s shocking to find a chief in a shebeen),” he said.

He said chiefs should not sell Swazi Nation Land
“The people who buy the land end up not respecting Royalty because they did not go through the customary kukhonta.” he said.

Acting Ludzidzini governor Velabo Mtsetfwa came down hard on chiefs who evict people from their areas.
Mtsetfwa said the chiefs who evicted people were one of the many challenges that they had to deal with as a council.
“Chiefs should stop all these evictions because they are unlawful. Who are you to evict and further demolish people’s houses because you do not have any land or people, but you are just looking after the people on behalf of the King. the evictions must stop,” he said.

He said a defiant or misbehaving subject should only be evicted when the King has endorsed such a decision.